The Switch in the Serenade
by Joy Booth
Summary: Emma Swan was living a happy life with her son in New York until there was a knock at her door. She was more than a little surprised to find the father of her child, who she hasn't seen since he sent her to jail, on the other side. Why was he there? Why to ask her to save Storybrooke of course. Captain Swan, Rumbelle, Outlaw Queen
1. A knock at the Door

**A/N: for the proposes of this story, Walsh never happened. Thanks and please review :)**

A knock at the door interrupted Emma Swan as she was sitting down to breakfast with her son Henry. The person at the door, was the last person she thought she would ever lay eyes on.

"Emma!" he grinned, wrapping her in a tight hug that seemed to bring her back to reality.

"Neal?" she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

"Yeah, it's me babe, I'm back!" he assured her, misunderstanding her emotion for happiness, but that would soon be corrected, when she pulled herself from his grasp and kneed him in the groin.

"You've got some nerve, Asshole!" she growled, slamming the door in his face.

"Who was that?" Henry asked as Emma returned to the table.

"It was… it was your father…" she murmured.

"What? My dad? He was here? What did he want?" he asked, not entirely sure how he felt about the return of the man who had abandoned his mother. His mother just sat across the table staring at her cocoa. "Mom, what did he want?"

"I don't know, Kid."

Henry stood and ran to the door flinging it open, right as Neal was poised to knock again.

"Henry, hey buddy, how have you been?" Neal asked, not making the mistake of reaching for a hug again.

"How do you know my name?" Henry asked, surprised that the man his mother had told him didn't even know he existed was acting like an old friend.

"How do you know his name?" Emma asked coming up behind Henry. "How do you know about him at all?"

"Look Emma, I know this is really confusing, but I need you to trust me for a minute. If you let me come in, I can explain everything," Neal promised.

Emma narrowed her eyes, drawing on her super power, but he seemed to be telling the truth, so she moved aside to allow him in, her hand still on Henry's shoulder, just in case.

As Neal moved through the apartment, he saw their breakfast still on the table.

"Nice place you've got here. I like all the plants. What are they?" he asked, drawing their attention to the window as he poured the memory potion in their cocoa.

"There is a Peperomia, a Chinese evergreen and a dracaena," Henry answered, smiling at his plants.

"Looks like they are very well tended," Neal nodded.

"But you didn't come here for a botany lesson, so tell us why you decided to track us down after all this time," Emma commanded in full bounty hunter mode.

"I interrupted your breakfast," Neal commented, trying to direct Emma back to the table. "Why don't we all sit down and I can explain."

Emma shifted uncomfortably, she could tell part of him was being untruthful, but she wasn't sure what about, so she returned to her seat. As soon as she sat and took a sip of her drink, a wave of memories washed over her. Of Henry and Regina and Graham and Mary Margaret and David and all the rest, it all came back. She blinked and looked at Neal again.

"How did you find us?" she asked again, knowing this time that he had truly done the impossible.

"It's a long story," Neal shrugged. "Hey, Bud, come have some cocoa."

Emma blinked again, _cocoa_, "Neal, did you put something in our drinks?"

"Just a little memory potion. Seriously Henry, come have a drink."

Henry looked confused, but made his way to the table lifting his mug.

"Wait, Henry, don't drink it," Emma said, scowling at the father of her child. Henry put the mug back down, his eyes going from one parent to the other confused by their odd behavior.

"Don't you want him to remember, Emma? Don't you want him to know the truth? About his family?" Neal asked confused and a little hurt at her hesitance.

"Remember what?" Henry asked. "Mom, what don't I remember?"

"Just wait, Henry, I just need to think for a minute," she huffed. Her memories were now fighting with the life Regina had given them, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to put Henry through the same confusion, when their whole family was trapped in another realm. "Why are you here Neal? How did you get back?" she asked again.

"Your family needs you Emma. I would explain more, but I think it would be a lot easier when everyone's on the same page. So, Henry, come on drink up," he tried again this time a hint of impatience clear in his tone.

"Don't touch that mug, Henry," Emma insisted, her eyes never leaving Neal's face. "Tell me what's in the potion. I am not letting my son ingest magic without even knowing what it will do. The last couple times it almost killed him."

"Magic?" Henry squeaked.

"It's a potion Emma, not a curse. It will bring back his memories, just like it brought back yours. Now trust me and everything will be a lot easier, dammit!" Neal yelled.

"Mom?" Henry called her attention, still not sure what the hell was going on or how magic and potions were now being talked about like real things. Emma stared at him for a long quiet moment, blinking away the tears that formed as she looked at her son nervous face.

"It's okay, kid. You can drink it. Just… just remember that I love you more than anything else in the World," she sighed, looking away to avoid the look on his face when he remembered the truth. The real memories where he was raised by Regina and she was just the woman who gave him up.

Henry looked from his mother to his father who was smiling boldly, and took a sip of his drink. Just like his mother, he was assaulted with all the fragmented memories of his real life.

"Dad?" he finally said as the memories cleared.

"That's me!" Neal grinned, standing to hug his son. Over his father's shoulder, he saw Emma brushing a stray tear from her cheek.

"It's okay Mom, you know I never blamed you. You gave me my best chance," Henry said, moving from his father to give his mother a tight hug. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"Me too, kid," Emma whispered back, before pulling away. "But now that we all know the truth, the question remains. How did you find us?"

"It's your family, Emma, they've been cursed…"

"Why am I not surprised," Emma frowned, not ready to resume her role as savior to all of Fairy tales just yet.

"Was it my mom? Why would she do it? Is anyone hurt?" Henry asked, not really giving Neal time to answer.

"It wasn't Regina, Henry, at least we don't think so. No one really knows, but Regina is cursed along with the rest of us, so it seems unlikely. All we know is that everyone is back in Storybrooke, and I have to get you guys home."

"Everyone?" Emma asked.

"Your Parents, Belle, the usual crowd," Neal nodded.

"And we're supposed to just run back and slay another dragon or ogre or whatever the hell it is this time?"

"Mom, it's our family. My Mom, Grandpa, Mary Margaret, we can't just stay here while they are out there, cursed, and needing our help."

Emma sighed, "I know, Kid, we have to go. Go pack a bag."

Henry went to his room, to gather a few things for the trip, while Emma asked Neal more about the new curse. Not much was known. There was a missing year. People were disappearing from Stroybrooke. His father had left one bottle of memory potion in the shop, a left over from when he had brought back Belle's memories. Neal was the most familiar with the outside world, so he had been sent to find them. All in all it wasn't much to go on, but Emma had done more with less. So, when Henry came out of his room, she threw together a bag, grabbed her red leather jacket, and they set off for home.


	2. Same Old Storybrooke

Upon arriving in Stroybrooke, Emma was greeted with a big surprise. She was going to have a new brother or sister. While she knew that Mary Margaret and David wanted another child it was a different thing all together to know that she was going to meet that child, that she would have a sibling much younger than her own child. Still, she was happy that Mary Margaret and David would get to be real parents. Maybe with the new little guy around they would stop babying her.

Once they had sent Henry up to the room they had rented at Granny's, she finally got to hear more about the mysterious curse, not that there was much to know. The last thing anyone seemed to remember was the magical fog enveloping the town.

"Who all is missing?" Emma asked after they had dropped Henry off with Regina for a private reunion.

"A couple of the dwarves, a merry man, some others I don't believe you know, in total about 8 but the number is growing every day," Mary Margaret said sadly.

"What about Hook? Has anyone seen him?" Emma asked trying not to sound too interested in the owner of the face she now recognized from her dreams over the last year.

"No one heard or seen of him since we said goodbye to you," her mother replied, patting her knee gently. Emma shook herself unwilling to let his memory haunt her anymore. He had probably left as soon as she got back to the Enchanted Forest, if they had actually gone to the forest in the missing year. Hook was a pirate, and just because he had taken some time off to help her that didn't mean that he wouldn't return to the pirates life as soon as she was gone.

_"There's not a day that will go by that I won't think of you,"_ Hooks voice whispered in her memories.

"If that's true where are you, Hook?" Emma thought. "I guess you're just one more person who lies and leaves."

"I don't think anyone is going to learn anything new tonight," David interrupted her troubled thoughts. "We should all get some sleep, and Emma and I can go out and investigate in the morning."

The group agreed, dispersing to the places where each rested their head, but none really going home, because this was just another roadblock on the way to their happy endings.

Over the next few days, they learned that the people disappearing were turning into flying monkeys. David had his courage stolen. They learned that Rumpelstiltskin lived, and was controlled by the Wicked Witch. Then, worst of all they learned that the Wicked Witch was Zelena, Regina's older half-sister, hell bent on destroying all of their lives.

In all this time, Emma worked hard. She searched for answers. She tried to protect the people of Storybrooke, but after the showdown between Zelena and Regina in the town square, she knew what she had to do. She had to learn to channel her magic.


	3. RumBelle Reunion

While Emma was focused on protecting the town, Neal and Belle had been searching for their own answers. Searching for how Rumple had survived, and how they could free him from Zelena's control. They stayed in the shop for days, searching through every book and scroll they could find, until one day the man himself walked in the door.

"Hello, Dearie," he called, as Belle walked into the front room to see who was at the door.

"Rumple!" she answered, rounding the counter and throwing herself into his arms. "How? How are you here? How did you get free?"

"Not free I'm afraid, my dear," he replied returning her to her feet, but still holding her close. "I was sent with a message for Bae."

"But how did you survive at all? How can I free you?" she asked, not wanting to waste precious time.

"I am not entirely sure how I was resurrected. The past year is a blank for me to, but it is coming back a little, being here with you," he smiled.

Belle's face softened and she pressed a kiss to his lips, and just like that a memory flickered into both of their heads.

_Belle and Neal were in the woods, surrounded by snow. The dark one's vault lay in front of them._

_"Neal wait!" Belle called, but he didn't. The key was pushed in and the Dark One was brought back. A life had been traded, a life had to end._

_"Take me," Lumiere called. "Let it be me that leaves this terrible existence. I led them here. I should be the one." _

_The tar that had begun to consume Neal, released its captive, before pulling the candlestick to his death, just as Zelena came behind them and put a knife to Belle's throat. _

_"I want that dagger, Rumple," she called, as the knife broke the skin of Belle's neck, a drop of blood falling into the snow. _

_"Don't do it, Rumple. It's not worth it. We can't let evil win. Let me go. Let me be a hero, the way I let you," Belle begged. _

_"I give you the dagger, and you swear you will __**never**__ harm her," Rumple answered._

_If anything the witches grip on the knife tightened, how dare he give up for his freedom for this girl. Three more drops of blood hit the snow, before she could reign in her jealousy. It didn't matter what he was willing to do for the girl, because as soon as she had the dagger, he was hers. _

_"You give me that dagger, and I promise I will never harm a hair on her precious little head," she shrugged as if it were a trial to let the girl live. Rumple tossed the dagger at her feet, though he would have put it in her chest had she not been using his love as a human shield. Zelena moved the knife, pushing Belle to the ground, and grabbing the dagger in one fluid movement. _

_"Good choice, Darling!" Zelena chuckled wickedly. "Come along now, Rumple. We have work to do, or rather undo."_

_"Belle?" he whispered, fighting the pull of the dagger. _

_"I'm okay," she answered. _

_"Oh Rumple, I won't ask again. You're time with that little distraction is through," the witch cackled. Moving back into the forest she had come from. _

_"Keep her safe, son," Rumple called, as he lost the battle and was forced into follow Zelena away. _

"Did you see it?" Rumple asked.

Belle nodded her head.

"The only way to free me is to get the dagger from Zelena, but I have already tried. I am sorry my love, but I can't fight her will. If she commands it, I will have to do whatever it is that her plan calls for," He sighed.

"We will find a way to free you," Belle promised. "This is not our happy ending."

"Papa?" Neal asked coming in from the back of the shop.

"There's no time, Bae. Belle will explain later. Zelena requests your presence."

"Sounds like a trap," Neal grumbled.

"She says that no harm will come to you, that she merely has a proposition for you," Rumple answered, giving Belle one more hug and pressing a kiss to her temple, before he forced himself to pull away.

Neal wasn't sure what to think, but even if it was a trap, they might be able gather some information.

"I guess we are off to see the wicked witch," he frowned, following his father out of the shop, before they disappeared in a blink.


	4. Neal's Choice

"So nice of you to join us," Zelena purred as she poured tea into several ornate tea cups. The odd little group of Rumple, Neal and Zelena sat in sunroom of her little farmhouse, seeming to enjoy a spot of tea, but beneath the surface tension was suffocating.

"My father says you have a proposition," Neal scowled not touching the tea cup she offered him.

"All business, just like your father," she clicked her tongue in irritation. "Well if it is down to business you want, it is down to business you shall have. Your family is a problem for me, dear. Your boy and his mother are causing me a great deal of trouble, but if you can convince them to go back where they came from, I don't see why they shouldn't escape unscathed."

"Emma will never leave her family. She feels like it is her job to protect them," Neal answered.

"But what if she couldn't? What if I found a way to remove her magic?" Zelena offered.

Neal tried to hide his interest. In truth, Emma's magical nature had bothered him. Without her magic, away from this town, maybe the three of them could start over again and be a normal family.

"What would I have to do?"

"Simply swear on the name of your son's mother."

"I swear on the name of Emma Swan."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, a tingling glow flashed across his lips.

"The next time you kiss Emma Swan, she will be drained of all her magic," Zelena grinned excitedly, "but do it quickly. This town can be a dangerous place, especially for a curious young boy."

Neal frowned. He had often wondered about their plan to bring Henry back to Storybrooke. While he wanted to be reunited with his son, he did not want Henry growing up around magic. Plus having Regina around meant one more person he had to share Henry's time with. The more he thought about it, the more sure Neal was that taking away Emma's magic was the right thing to do.

When he finally got to town, he saw Emma in the diner with Henry. Without another thought, he walked right in and slipped into the booth next to her.

"Where have you been?" Emma asked.

"I was at the shop," Neal answered easily slipping his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close enough to press a kiss to her temple. Emma moved to push him away, but the moment his lips touched her skin, white light shot out of her, and she slumped over, complete lifeless.


	5. A Charming Vigil

"What did you do?" Henry screamed, reaching across the table to shake Emma's form.

"I… I don't know?" Neal mumbled moving to check Emma's pulse. He had no idea that taking her magic would cause such a violent reaction.

"Mom, mom, come on, wake up," Henry yelled frantically.

"What happened?" Ruby asked, as she rushed over to the booth.

"We don't know, she was fine one minute and then…" Neal shrugged helplessly, as he moved out of the way.

"You kissed her," Henry remembered.

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain why she is like this, bud," Neal mumbled.

"Call Regina, I think it's a curse, she smell like dark magic," Ruby said as she picked up Emma's body.

"Where are you taking her?" Henry asked, already dialing Regina.

"Just up to your room, Henry. Tell your mom to meet us there."

Hours later, Emma was still unconscious. Henry, Mary Margaret and David, sat around her bed, while Neal passed the room. Regina had told them that Emma had been cursed, but it wasn't the sleeping curse. She had promised to go to her vault and look for anything that might help figure out what was ailing the savior, but had been unsuccessful.

"You are going to wear a hole in Granny's rug," Snow said.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," Neal murmured.

"What are you talking about?" Snow asked, now suspicious.

"She said… she said we would be safe."

"Who?" David demanded, moving put himself between his family and Neal, his hand on his sword.

"Zelena, she said that if I helped her take away Emma's magic, that we would be safe," Neal finally answered.

"You did this? You took her magic?" Henry accused.

"I was trying to save us," Neal tried to explain.

"How could you do this?" Mary Margaret gasped.

"Magic is bad. It only ever bring heartache," Neal tried to reason with them.

"Get out!" David's voice echoed like thunder in the tiny room.

"You… Henry… I…" Neal stared at his son. Why couldn't they understand? He was just trying to keep them safe, but when his son glared back at him, he knew that it was a lost cause and left the room without another word.


	6. Late Night in the Diner

The Charmings sat with their daughter and grandson all through the night. As soon as Neal was gone, Henry had called Regina to tell her about Neal's confession. Once Regina heard what Neal had done, she knew exactly what spell was at work. She headed straight to Granny's to reassure herself and her son that his birth mother was simply drained and would wake up when she had rested enough.

Still, the knowledge that she had lost her strongest magical ally had troubled Regina. After the showdown in the town square, Regina had put most of her hope in the combined power of her and Emma's magic, after all, they had saved the town together before, they could surely do it again. Only now she was all alone again. She was sitting at the counter at Granny's waiting for Emma to wake up, when Robin walked in.

"Awfully late for a drink, Madam Mayor," he commented sitting on the stool next to her.

"If you're here to steal something, you might want to come back later," she snarled, not in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Come now, have you caught me stealing since we came to this land?"

"It's not my job to catch thieves," she sighed.

"It's not your job, but I know how much you enjoy the hunt, so…"

"I don't have time for your games tonight, Robin."

Robin could tell that she was upset, and he couldn't help but want to ease her burden.

"Did you know that I had a brother?" he asked.

Regina raised a perfectly sculpted brow, the look on her face clearly asking why she should care.

"His name was Reginald. He was the heir to a great title, property, and fortune, but he was a despicable person. He spent all of his time in gaming halls, pubs, and brothels. By the time he came of age to inherit, my father had chosen to pass him over in order to give the living to me. When Reginald found out, he murdered our father before he could change the articles of his will. Three years later everything was gone. One way or another he had lost everything but the title, and even that was cloaked in shame. I was forced to live off of my wits, but with the reputation our family had, there was no respectable living available to me."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I tell you this, to illustrate a point, my lady. You would think that I would be filled with resentment over my brother's actions, would you not?"

"Of course," Regina scoffed.

"But how wrong you are, because had I inherited my father's fortune, I would never have met my wife. I would never have been blessed with my Roland. Apart from the death of my father, I have no ill will toward my brother. In fact, I feel sorry for him. For while my life has been filled with love and friendship and adventure, his has been nothing but empty thrills and loneliness."

"So what, I am supposed to count my blessings? What am I supposed to get from this fairy tale, oh great and wise Robin of Loxley?"

"You are not alone, Regina," he answered seriously, but his eyes were too intense.

She couldn't keep from letting her true feelings slip out. "But I am," she sniffed, fighting back tears.

In an instant, he had wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. Before she could pull away, she broke completely. The strength of his grasp breaking the last of her resolves, until her shoulders shook with silent sobs. He just held her, rubbing her back and whispering sweet nothings in her ear, until she was ready to pull away.

"I'm sorry about your coat," she mumbled, gesturing to the large wet spot on his shoulder. "I don't know what came over me."

"No matter, my coat was happy to be of service," he shrugged, giving her a half smile. "Do you want to tell me what has got the toughest woman I know in tears?"

"My sister wants my life, and the only person who could help me save everyone, is now out of magic," she sighed.

"I'm sure you will figure something out, Majesty. Like I said you are the toughest woman I know. And if I know anything about women, it's that you don't threaten a powerful woman's family, and walk away unscathed," Robin smiled confidently at her. Like a switch, he could see something click in her mind. Almost as if he saw the moment she decided that the battle was worth fighting again.

"You're right, of course, Thief. No one threatens my family and gets away with it," she grinned, a plan already developing in her mind. "I think it's just about time for another family reunion."


	7. Plans Discovered

Emma blinked, but the light of the room made her already aching head spin.

"Mom?" she heard Henry call to her. "Mom, can you hear me?"

"Kid, close the blinds for Christ sakes," she groaned. Her whole body ached like she had gotten in a prize fight, which was not helped a moment later, when several pairs of arms tried to hug her all at once.

"Oh, Emma, we are so glad you're awake," Mary Margaret beamed when Emma opened her eyes again.

"Good to have you back," David nodded.

"What happened?" Emma asked. The last thing she remember was have lunch in the diner with Henry. Neal came in and was getting a little too comfortable, and then nothing.

"It was Neal, well Neal was cursed by Zelena to steal your magic, but he knew what he was doing," Mary Margaret explained sadly. She had so hoped that Neal would be the one to heal her daughter's heart, but it seemed all he was only capable of bringing her pain.

"I shoulda known," Emma frowned. "Where is he?"

"Grandpa threatened to slice him in half, so he disappeared," Henry answered, grinning at the thought seeing the daring Prince Charming in action.

"What about Zelena? Now that I am out of magic, I expect she won't keep waiting to strike."

"Leroy has organized patrols, but no one has seen her yet," David offered.

"What is she up to?" Emma wondered out loud.

"Something rather wicked I'm afraid…" Regina said as she entered the room, Robin and Belle hot on her heels.

"Care to share?" Emma asked.

"She wants your baby," Belle answered, looking sadly at Mary Margaret, who slumped into an armchair with a horrible feeling of Déjà vu.

"Can't be happening, not again," Mary Margaret mumbled her eyes moving through the crowd for reassurance.

"It won't!" David promised.

"Why does she want the baby?" Emma asked, trying to think like an investigator.

"She wants to go back in time, and she believes that little Charming is the key," Regina explained, her lips twisting with distaste.

"I thought that wasn't possible. Like isn't it against the _laws of magic_ or something?" Emma commented.

"It is against the laws of magic," Belle confirmed, flipping open the ancient text she had kept tucked under her arm. "But for as long as there have been the laws of magic, people have been trying to break them. I believe Zelena is trying to enact this spell. She already has Regina's heart, Rumple's brain and David's courage. The baby is the final ingredient."

"But we have time," Emma seemed to remember. "We just need to figure out a plan before the baby comes."

"A plan I've got," Regina said mysteriously, "but I'm afraid you're not going to like it very much."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Emma snarled as she made to stand up, her movement drawing the attention of her parents.

"Emma, you need to rest. You're magic is gone, you can't fight anymore," Mary Margaret frowned.

"What, so I'm useless now," Emma grumbled, brushing off David's arm which had been trying to put her back to bed. "You weren't magical when you decided to take down the Evil Queen. David wasn't magical when he killed that dragon for King Midas. God, what am I even saying? I lived twenty eight years surviving and fighting without magic. If some witch thinks that Neal Cassidy is going to take me out of the fight, she has got another thing coming."

Without another word Emma stormed out the door, slamming it loudly behind her.


	8. Finding the Jolly Roger

By the time Emma got out the front door, she remembered that she had forgotten to wait and ask Regina about her plan, but it was too late. Going back now would mean admitting that she had just thrown a fit comparable to that of a spoiled child, so she climbed into the front seat of her bug, and did what she had always done. She ran.

By the time she got the town line, she was calmer. She knew it wasn't safe to be so close with all the flying monkey attacks, so she took the back road around the town. When she drove by Zelena's farmhouse she noticed that all the lights where off and decided to have a look around. After all, she was still sheriff even without magic.

The house was the same as the last time she had come, but this time she decided to have a closer look. She hoped that something in the house might give her a clue as to Zelena's weakness. The hinges squeaked slightly as the door swung open. With no warrant she would have to be careful. Even though Zelena was the wicked witch, an illegal search of her home was still bad form. _Bad Form_. The words echoed in Emma's mind followed by an image of the one and only Hook. _Where the hell is he? _She wondered for what felt like the hundredth time. Her thoughts lingered on the enigmatic pirate as she searched the house, her eyes landing on a ship in a bottle.

_Is that the Jolly?_ She thought moving to take a closer look. She wasn't that familiar with ships, so maybe they all looked about the same, but this one definitely had the same look at the ship she had used to rescue her son from Neverland. Sure enough as she turned the bottle in her hands, she saw _Jolly Roger_ painted on the back in elegant script.

"Why would Zelena have a replica of the Jolly?" she wondered aloud, when a flash of something moving in the bottle caught her attention. She put the bottle back down and used her flashlight to get a better look. There on the deck of the tiny Jolly Roger, stood a tiny Hook, flailing his arms at her like a crazy person.

"Hook?" she whispered unbelieving that the tiny person could really be her Hook, and then kicking herself for even mentally call him hers. It was clear by the way the tiny Hook was cupping his hands, that he was trying to be heard, but Emma couldn't make out a sound. She considered her predicament for a moment, before uncorking the bottle.

"Hook, is that you?" she asked, before putting the bottle to her ear like a tin-can telephone.

"Yes, it's bloody me, you daft lass, now can we get out of here before Greeny gets back, or do you want to stay here and wait for her to get back and put you in here with me?" he yelled, though his voice sounded almost bell like as it echoed through the bottle.

"Alright, alright, we'll get out of here. Do you want to come out of the bottle?" she asked.

"Yes, I just love to ride around in that little shirt pocket of yours, Swan," he snarked, crossing his arms and glaring at her, but even the glare seemed cute when he was so tiny.

"Sorry, Mr. Cranky pants, in the bottle you stay I guess, at least until we get to Regina's," she shrugged giving the bottle as slight shake that made him stumble slightly and his glare increase as she got in her car, headed for the mayor's mansion. Her heart felt lighter, just for knowing where he was and that he was safe, (tiny, but safe,) but she tried not to think about it too much.

**A/N: please consider dropping me a review, this is only my second fic in this fandom and I am really not sure how I am doing. Let me know good? Bad? thanks**


	9. Of Pirates and Outlaws

The doorbell drew Regina from the game of chess she was playing with Henry.

"Emma, this is rather unexpected. I thought after that little temper tantrum, you would have crawled into a bottle for the day," Regina smirked when she found the Savior at her door.

"I'm not in the mood, Regina," Emma replied with equal fire as she moved past the mayor without her permission.

"Mom? What are you doing here? You should be back at Granny's resting," Henry said as he came into the foyer.

"I found Hook," Emma answered, carefully showing Regina the bottle containing Hook and his ship.

"The pirate is in there?" Regina questioned, raising an eyebrow before giggling a little to herself. "Well, someone was in the bottom of a bottle."

"It's not funny," Emma growled. "Can you get him out and back to normal?"

"Out shouldn't be a problem," Regina mumbled taking the bottle and thinking for a moment. "Getting him back to normal that might be a little tricky. In the Enchanted Forest, all the ingredients are in my garden, but not everything came over with the curse this time."

"So, he is stuck like that?" Henry asked waving at tiny Hook, who took the time to wave back.

"I didn't say that," Regina answered as she chewed her bottom lip a little.

"Then what are you saying?" Emma snarled, earning a glare from Regina, and a surprised look from Henry.

"I am saying, Miss Swan, that I will have to look around for some things. It make take some time, and I do have some rather pressing matters of my own to deal with, like oh, I don't know, keeping my sister from using your brother for potion ingredients!" Regina thundered back.

Emma stared for a minute before she could speak.

"I know you're right Regina. I'm sorry for being rude. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Why don't you stay here and take a statement from our small friend, and I will go see what I can find," Regina offered with a modicum of calm returning to her voice.

"What am I going to do?" Henry asked.

"You can come along, I think it's about time you learn the family business," Regina grinned at him, smoothing her hand over his cheek.

"Awesome!" Henry beamed, running off to get his coat.

"You'll keep him safe?" Emma ventured carefully.

"Of course," Regina nodded. "You just focus on figure out what my sister wanted with the pirate, and I will figure out a way to get him back in fight shape."

"Thanks," Emma smiled sheepishly.

* * *

As soon as Regina and Henry were out the door, Emma moved to the living room, opening the bottle and waiting as little Hook made his way down the tiny cargo net and out of the bottle.

"Regina wants to know why Zelena was keeping you in the bottle, in fact, so do I. How _did _you piss off the wicked witch?" she asked, but all she heard in return was a gentle tinkling.

"I'm sorry I can't hear you?" Emma frowned, putting her hand down for him to stand on, and moving him closer to her ear.

"I said, it's a long story," Hook answered again, his breath tickling her ear as he spoke.

"Well even if it's a long story, I'd like to hear if it's all the same to you," Emma replied irritated with his evasiveness.

* * *

After stopping by her vault, Regina and Henry headed for the forest.

"You look for the Cardinal feather and I will get the moss and choke cherries," Regina said as she rechecked the spell for the tenth time. "Stay close though, you never know when one of those _creatures _is going to turn up."

"I hope you are referring to the flying monkeys," Robin teased, coming out from behind a tree.

"Robin!" Henry grinned, excited to see the infamous archer. "My mom found Hook, but he was cursed into a bottle. So mom is letting me help her gather ingredients for the potion to get him back to normal."

"Hook? As in Captain Hook?" Robin asked. He had heard of the legendary pirate, but didn't know why they were taking the time to cure the villain.

"Yeah, he is one of the ones that rescued me from Neverland. Plus, I think he and my mom are like, I don't know, they have a thing," Henry explained.

Robin's eyes automatically found Regina's with a rather surprised and almost hurt look.

"Emma," she answered his unasked question simply. One word returned his face to it's usual happy countenance.

"What exactly are you looking for? Maybe I can be of help? After all, I have only been in this realm a short time, but I have a rather intimate knowledge of the forest here," Robin smirked, causing Regina to blush.

Henry named off the ingredients again, and Robin was quickly able to point them in the right direction. In no time at all, they were ready to head back to the mansion.

* * *

"Would you stop fidgeting, Swan? You are more restless than the sea before a storm," Hook whined for his position on her shoulder.

"If you're not going to tell me how you ended up 2 inches tall, you might as well go back in the bottle until Regina gets back," Emma growled.

"As I said, Swan. The tale of my imprisonment is not important in the fight against the witch. It is simple. I was asked to do something, I refused, and as punishment the Jolly and I became a mantel piece for the great Green one."

"But what did she want you to do?" Emma asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"It doesn't matter!" Hook insisted.

"Listen you pirate," Emma yelled bringing him to eye level, and glaring like there was no tomorrow. "I have had quite enough of people making decisions for me. You tell me what she wanted from you right now, or I put you back in that bottle and walk out the door."

Hook glared right back for a long moment, before his shoulders slumped and he motioned the need to speak.

"She wanted me to get her to New York. To Henry. She knew that Henry was Regina's weakness and that if she could get her hands on Henry, she would be that much closer to ruining Regina's happiness," he finally admitted.

"You don't think someone trying to kidnap my son is something I should know about?"

"You can protect him, Love. I've seen what you have done for him in the past. I've no doubt you will rise to the challenge again this time. I just refused to help Greeny get to you before you knew who you were," he said as if it made all the sense in the world.

Emma considered this for a moment, before her own shoulders slumped, "I think the thing that you failed to realize, Hook, is that I don't have any magic anymore."

"Pardon, Milady, what do you mean you don't have magic _anymore_?"

"Neal, he... well, Zelena cursed him to steal my magic," she explained.

"Is that what they were talking about? I wondered... No matter, Swan, even without your magic you are a force to be reckoned with. I mean, honestly, Princess Emma, daughter of the two purest, bravest hearts anyone has ever known. I don't know why people keep trying to pick fights with you when it is so obvious that you are unbeatable."

"I'm not a princess," Emma replied, glossing over the rest of his speech as if it didn't make her heart swell everytime he proved his unwavering belief in her.

"What is a princess, if not the daughter of a Prince and Princess? Emma, I know it makes you uncomfortable, but you are a princess. You have a family. You are not alone anymore," Hook reasoned calmly, even as he mentally plotted Bae's downfall the moment he was a proper size to thrash the lad for all he had put Emma through.

"But what if I liked being alone? What if all this," she waved her hands around at the mess that was her life. "I was happy. I had Henry and I was happy. For the first time in my life I was happy. Why couldn't I just have that?" she asked pitifully.

Hook's heart ached for her, but he knew the truth and so did she.

"Because it wasn't real," he whispered sadly.


	10. Growing

"Well, doesn't this look cozy?" Regina smirked when she walked into her living room to find Emma and little Hook locked in an intense stare. Her smile only widened when Emma flinched and nearly dropped the pirate who had been sitting in the palm of her hand.

"Did you find what we need?" Emma asked ignoring, perhaps avoiding, the mayor's accusation.

"I have been practicing magic since you were a twinkle in Charming's eye, Miss Swan. I know how to put together a simple growth potion," Regina grumbled.

"Robin helped her," Henry offered as he came in with a book and a large cooper pot. "Got all the stuff from the car."

"Just take it in the kitchen, Henry. I will be there momentarily," Regina glared a bit at her son for selling her out.

"Robin and Regina sittin' in tree," Emma began to sing, before Regina slapped the blonde's mouth shut with a flick of her wrist.

"It would be wise not to test the patience of the only person capable of grow-your-own-pirate magic," she growled, stomping off to the kitchen with Emma and little Hook not far behind.

The kitchen started to smell like a swamp, as Regina explained Emma and Henry on how to prepare ingredients.

"No eye of newt?" Emma joked.

"Eye of newt is very hard to come by this time of year," Regina mumbled, focusing on her own task.

"I feel like I'm in Professor Snape's class, Mom. This is so cool," Henry grinned, stirring the concoction with a glass rod.

"I'll remember that when you start chemistry next year and complain about all the homework," Regina chuckled.

"He's really going to have to drink this sludge?" Emma wrinkled her nose, adding minced mouse liver.

"We could let him stay that size, I guess. Seems to cause less trouble that way," Regina shrugged indifferently.

"No, I need him in fighting shape if we are going to take down your sister," Emma insisted.

Regina rolled her eyes, the savior was a fool if she thought her pirate would be any help in the fight against the wicked witch.

"Step back there might be a bit of a bang," Regina warned, moving in front of Henry, before dropping in the feather. With a wave of her hand and a loud pop, the potion became a vivid purple. Conjuring a tiny cup, she filled it with potion and handed it to Hook. When the cloud of purple smoke cleared, full sized Hook sat on the counter.

"Miss me, Love?" he grinned lecherously at Emma, who rolled her eyes, hiding her blush.

"There's a child in the room," Regina groaned.

"Apologizes, highness," Hook said, hopping off the counter. "Good to see you again, Lad. How was life in the land with no magic?"

"It was good, Emma let me eat pizza like three times a week," Henry answered, causing Regina to scowl at Emma, who in turn scowled at Henry.

"What happened to what happened in New York stays in New York?" Emma grumbled.

"We can discuss your lack knowledge in regards to the nutritional needs of children later, Miss Swan. It is getting late, and I have a witch to destroy tomorrow," Regina pointed out.

Henry decided to spend the night with Regina, leaving Emma alone with Hook on the way to Granny's. She expected him to bombard her with innuendo to minute they got in the car, but the pirate was unusually quiet as he inspected his ship, still trapped in the bottle.

"We'll figure out a way to get her back sailing size," Emma promised.

"I know," Hook answered absently.

"Then why do you look like someone just kicked your dog?"

"Do you believe in fate, Swan?"

"Yes," she whispered, surprising him. "I was on my way out of town the night Henry first found me, but I wrecked my car because there was a wolf in the road. There hadn't been a wolf in Storybrooke in 28 years, but the night I was leaving, there was a wolf. It stopped me."

Again they lapsed into silence until they reached their destination. When they arrived, Ruby set Hook up with a room just down the hall from Emma. Slowly they made their way up the stairs, both anxious to be apart but neither willing to admit it. Both laid in bed long after they had parted thinking about fate and finding happiness and cursed kisses and what true love really meant.


	11. Showdown

The next morning everyone agreed to meet at the Charming's apartment. David made pancakes, Snow made a huge pot of cocoa, and Regina worked on a protection spell that could not be broke even with blood magic. Emma had called Snow one the way to Regina's the night before, so they were not surprised when Hook arrived with their daughter. They were all listening to Henry tell them about the best pizza in New York, when Snow let out a low groan.

"What is it?" Charming asked.

Snow's brow crinkled and she bit her lip.

"It's the baby," Regina answered, her heart sinking. "Our luck just ran out."

"It's okay, I think it is just Braxton hi… holy mother, I think Regina's right," Snow grimaced.

"It will all be fine, Snow I have been working on the hospital for a while. The protection should hold, we just need to get you there," Regina soothed, finally acting like a mother to her step daughter.

"I'll pull the truck up, Emma help your mother down the stairs," David directed.

"Hook can you stay here with Henry? The apartment should be safe, but I don't want him unprotected," Emma asked.

"Mom, I want to go to the hospital. That's my aunt or uncle about to be born, and I want to be there."

When Emma hesitated, Regina stepped in. "Henry, these things take time, and Zelena will no doubt know what is happening. Neither Emma nor I could live with ourselves if something happened to you. Stay here with the pirate, and I will come and get you as soon as the coast is clear," she promised.

"Fine, but I want to hear everything when you get back," Henry grumbled, flopping onto the couch and pulling out his PSP.

By the time they got to the hospital Snow was breathing like a deranged dragon and David's hand was nearly blue. Dr. Whale met them at the door with a wheel chair, leaving Emma and Regina to wait for whatever Zelena had planned.

"Would anybody like a coffee?" Robin asked an hour later when he arrived with an arm full of Granny's foam cups.

"You are a mind reader," Regina grinned standing to take a coffee and press her lips to the thief.

"If I had known that would be my thanks, I would have come earlier," he grinned back at her, handing a coffee to Emma and taking a seat next to his lady love.

Screams trickled down the hall intermittently. Regina checked and rechecked her spell work. Nurses dashed about, but nothing really happened for a long while. Finally when it felt like the screams would never end a hush swept down the hall, a gentle whimpering right behind it.

"It would seem you have a sibling, Dearie," Zelena cackled materializing in front of them.

In an instant, they were all on their feet.

"You won't win," Regina said calmly.

"I've already won. Your pathetic excuse for _magic_ will never be as good as mine," Zelena smiled confidently walking toward the sounds of the infant. The moment she hit the barrier of Regina's spell, surprise spread across her face. "You're learning new tricks, Sis."

"A friend of yours, Glinda, told my family all about you and your weakness," Regina answered moving to put herself between Zelena and her goal.

"Those people are not your family, Sis. They have used your weakness, your _love,_ to make you think they care, but they would abandon you in a heartbeat."

"No, I think you are thinking of the story of you and our mother, but then again _green _was never really her color."

Zelena lunged at Regina, tackling her to the ground with her hands wrapped around her younger sister's neck. "She would have kept me," she screamed. "She loved me! I will make her love me!"

As Regina started to lose consciousness, her spell weakened. Sensing this Zelena ran for Snow's room, but as the oxygen returned to her lungs, Regina stood.

"Stay away from my daughter!" she screamed and a burst of pure white light shot from her chest, striking the wicked witch and incinerating her on contact. The only sound that was heard was Regina's heavy breathing and the clink as the dark one's dagger landed in the pile of ashes.

Before Regina could slump into the nearest chair, Robin was at her side.

"Someone should grab the dagger and let the Charming's know that Zelena has been taken care of," Regina huffed leaning into Robin's chest and inhaling his ever present forest scent.

"Gold snatched the dagger as soon as it hit the ground," Emma frowned looking around for the Imp who had disappeared. "I'm sure he has just gone to find Belle. Is there anything I can get you?"

"I'm fine," the brunette snapped, feeling rather exposed. "Just go check on your mother."

Emma did as she was told for once, and left Robin to deal with the worn out queen.

"That was amazing, my dear," he mumbled into her ear, as he sat down pulling her into his lap.

"I don't know where it came from," she sighed.

"It came from your heart, Love. The heart that I shall retrieve as soon as you was feeling better."

"I know you will. I trust you," she smiled burrowing herself deeper into his warmth.

**a/n: ok so I hope you like this, I was really stuck, and my husband encouraged me to just go with my gut, so if you hate it blame him lol. getting close to the end now thanks for sticking with me**


	12. He's Perfect!

"She did it!" Emma said as she entered her mother's hospital room. "Regina defeated the wicked witch, Mom and she did it for you."

"We heard the sounds coming from down the hall. Are you sure it's safe?" David asked, poking his head into the hall.

"Greenie got toasted, Dad. She is gone for good," Emma promised, moving to her mother's side to get a closer look at her new sibling.

"It's over?" Snow whispered, not quite believing that the fight was over.

"It's over," Regina confirmed, still leaning heavily into Robin, but now standing at the doorway. "You better hope squirt is worth the trouble."

"Emma said you fought for me?" Snow said though it came out more as a question.

Regina flushed a bit, unsure how to explain the sound rush of emotion that had caused her to vaporize her sister. "The only person who gets to cause you trouble is me," she finally shrugged.

"Well, are you going to come hold your grandson then?" Snow teased.

Regina raised an eyebrow at the term, but still moved to the stiff wooden chair beside Snow's bed. When Charming handed her the baby, her chest ached. She could still remember the first time she had held Henry. This little bundle was defiantly from the same line. She ran her finger down his cheek, over his strong _charming_ jaw before her hand came to rest over his quick beating little heart.

From the door, Robin watched Regina interact with the cooing infant. She looked so at peace that he felt himself falling in love with her all over again. It was amazing to him that after such a fierce battle, she could still show tenderness and warmth. When she looked up at him, he simply smiled back at her, not wanting to intrude on a private family moment, but in that moment he knew that he had found his soul mate.

"He's perfect," she announced with unshed tears in her eyes. "Someone should go get Henry. He'll be angry he missed this."

"I'll get him," Emma offered. "Call me if you decide you need anything while I'm out."

**Meanwhile**

Belle was in the shop, looking for any possible way to help in the fight the wicked witch when familiar arms came to wrap themselves around her.

"Rumple?" she questioned in disbelief, twisting in his arms to see his face.

"The wicked witch is dead, I'm free," he sighed, most of the immense weight on his shoulders causing him to lean into her body more than normal.

"You're free?"

Instead of answering, Rumple held up the dagger.

"What about everyone else? Snow's baby? Regina's heart? Are they okay?"

"I'm touched that you are so happy to have me back, dearie," Rumple grumbled, releasing her and taking a step back.

"You know I am thrilled to see you, you silly man," Belle giggled, closing the gap he had created. "I am just worried about our friends."

"_Your _friends all managed to escape unscathed."

"And you how are you feeling?"

"I should have seen it coming, Belle. I knew that Zelena was dangerous, but I left her to terrorize Oz so that I didn't have to deal with her. That lack of forethought almost caused me to lose you. There was a moment at the vault when she almost killed you just out of jealousy. Once she had control over me, I thought for sure she would have me kill you," he sighed, reaching to stroke her cheek.

"You would never hurt me, Rumple. Our love is too strong."

"I would have. That is why I need you to keep this for me," he said, pushing the dagger into her hands, but when she realized what was happening, she pushed it right back.

"No! No, Rumple, I will not take your freedom," she insisted, shaking her head violently.

"Belle, you are my true love. We are already bound to each other. Please, accept this sign of my total faith in you. I know how prue your heart is. I trust you with my very life."

She just stared at him for a moment trying to figure out a way to refuse. She loved this man with all her heart, so she knew that she could never refuse him such a heartfelt request.

"I will hold on to it for now," she said, finally accepting the one thing in all the realms that could destroy the man she loved. She slipped the dagger into her purse, and took his arm. "Let's go home."

"That, my dear, sounds perfect. I can show you just how much I have missed you," he grinned wickedly, and they were home in the blink of an eye. He had blinked them directly to the bedroom and immediately started to devour her, making up for the lost year and so much more.

"Bae is staying with us," she mentioned, before she could get wrapped up in the sensation of his mouth on her neck.

"Then you will just have to be quiet," he teased, his hands starting to remove the bright red sweater she was wearing.

"He should know that you are free. He has been worried sick," she panted, trying to keep focused.

"He can wait, and I cannot," the imp insisted.

"Just one thing, then," Belle insisted tearing herself away from his grasp, and causing Rumple to groan with impatience and frustration. Belle ignored him, tucking the dagger into her nightstand, before locking the drawer. "There all..." before she could finish her sentence he had her on the fluffy king sized bed that dominated the room. The rest of the night was a blur of passion and need and release before they finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

**a/n: there was a mistake in this chapter, I got my stories crossed, thanks to the person who pointed it out. hopefully it is better now. **


End file.
